Just a short. I don't have much time to write at work.
I'd never fought so hard in my life. I had expected her to be strong. I had done my best to prep everybody for the battle ahead of time as we ran through the halls of Galbadia garden.
"Selphie, you just keep us up and running from the back row. She's fought us before so she knows our style. It's gonna be tough, but we can do it. I have faith in both of you."
And I did. I chose Zell and Selphie specifically because I had so much faith in them. Quistis and Irvine were strong, and Rinoa was helpful and made me feel like I could do anything, but it was Selphie and Zell who were by my side most often. After the three of us became SeeDs together, we bonded as a small hierarchal group. I was the leader and the strong one. I attacked every chance I could. Selphie supported us, healing our wounds, curing the poison that so often struck us down. And then there was Zell. Zell backed me up, attacking when he needed to, summoning when he needed to, healing when he needed to. I guess I always kind of took it for granted that he would be the one weakening the enemy alongside me. I always felt kind of off when he had to do other missions, when he wasn't fighting by my side. I felt confident that if ever I was knocked out, the first thing I'd see when I opened my eyes again would be his face screwed up in concentration as he pulled the magic that healed me from within himself. The tattoo on the left side of his face would come into focus, and when I saw it I knew I'd be okay. We were the perfect team, but still we were losing.
As we neared the end of our battle, my lungs burned, muscles ached. Selphie kept healing us over and over as Edea struck us down again and again. It hurt so badly. I didn't want to lift my gunblade anymore. I didn't want to fight. I was scared. It really didn't matter that I was a SeeD, a commander among the most elite mercenary force out there. I just wanted to close my eyes. I wanted the war to be over. The fighting would end if a victor was declared. Was I really so selfish that I thought it must be me who won? If I just gave up, if I just let her strike the final blow, so many other deaths could be stopped, so many other people would survive. The world didn't need me. I'm just another warrior, another man wielding a weapon. There are hundreds, if not thousands of men who were exactly the same, if not better. I watched her raise her hand to strike, and I did nothing. I was ready for it to be over.
"NO!"
He screamed in pain. My eyes flew open. Zell lay on the floor in front of me, barely breathing. He looked up at me, and I flew at her. I hit her over and over. I screamed at her. There were no words, just an angry violent yelling. She couldn't take him from me. Not Zell. Not my best friend, my comrade. He never questioned me. He did exactly what I said without a second thought, not because I was the leader, or he feared me, but because he trusted me, cared about me. He sacrificed himself to save me so that I could fight and bring her down. I heard Selphie behind me crying.
"I'm out of Cura! Squall, help him! Zell's dying!"
I backed away from the fallen sorceress. She spoke but I did not hear her. Zell was dying. He was in my arms in an instant. I tried to pull magic from inside myself for him. I was so tired, but he needed it. I would help him. Nothing would take him away from me, from my team. His eyes opened slowly. He smiled a weak exhausted smile.
"That'll show her," he whispered.
"Yeah," I replied. Selphie took my place by his side and flung herself around him as I stood.
"Thank God, Zell! Oh, thank God!" He reached a hand up and smoothed her hair.
"I'm fine. Don't worry. And the sorceress is gone for now." Selphie buried her head in his shoulder. I reached down to help them up.
"We should go."
"Yeah, come on Selphie." He wiped away her tears and held onto her hand. They walked ahead of me, toward the exit, past Seifer's body lying on the floor. Zell looked back at me and gave me a thumbs up. Maybe I wasn't supposed to be the leader. Maybe there was someone else more qualified. In the end, it was me who took Edea down, but it was Zell who gave me the courage. When Selphie was running low on magic and I had lost the will to fight, he just kept on going until his body couldn't handle any more. My heart almost stopped, we almost lost the battle, but Zell… Zell was never really afraid at all…
A/N: Please review!